2024 AUSTRALIAN AGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Monday, April 8th – Sunday, April 14th
- Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Queensland, Australia
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Entries
- SwimSwam Preview
- Live Results (Meet Mobile: “2024 Australian Age & MC Age Championships”)
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
- Day 3 Recap
- Day 4 Recap
- Day 5 Recap
The sixth and penultimate finals session of the 2024 Australian Age Championships in Southport, Queensland featured another stellar day of racing among the country’s brightest teens. These championships serve as a stepping stone for the upcoming Australian Nationals, as well as the nearby Australian Olympic Trials. For others, this competition is a qualification opportunity for slots on the Junior Pan Pacific Championships roster.
After re-affirming herself yesterday as the fastest 15-year-old Aussie girl in 50 breast history, Sienna Toohey won the 100 breast with a swift 1:07.72. Toohey is now No.2 all-time in age history behind Leisel Jones‘ legendary 2000 event record of 1:07.49, which earned her first-ever career Olympic silver medal. Taking second to Toohey was Olympia Pope at 1:09.07, moving up to No. 6 all-time in age history. Toohey is already faster than Jones in the 50 breast, now holding the record at 31.34 from the NSW Open Champs, way ahead of Jones’ 32.14 age best.
Henry Allan won the age 15 boys 50 back with a time of 26.46, moving him to No. 3 all-time in age history, now 0.26s off TJ Chong Sue‘s 2019 age record of 26.20. Runner-up Chrissander Cerda of New Caledonia clocked in a time of 27.09, just off his entry time of 26.98, still just half a second off his respective country’s national record of 26.42.
Zoe Ammundsen won the age 16 girls 100 back with a time of 1:00.46, propelling her to No. 7 all-time in age history. She now adds this win to her previously-earned 200 back title. In the same age out of the girls 50 fly, Olivia Hine broke 27 seconds for the first time at 26.97, moving to No. 8 all-time in age history and tying her personal best at age 15 (No. 3 all-time).
Leny Grigor swept the 14-year-old boys IM events, after winning the 400 IM earlier in the meet, by taking the 200 IM final at 2:07.59. That puts Grigor at No. 7 all-time in age history. Likewise, out of the 18-year-old boys 50 breast, Gideon Burnes shaved 0.03s off his personal best to win the event at 28.44, moving him from No. 9 to No. 8 all-time in age history.
In the age 16 boys 100 breast, Nicholas Stoupas out-touched Thomas Sutherland by 0.03s for the win, 1:03.57 to 1:03.60. Both Stoupas and Sutherland now rank No. 8 and No. 9 respectively in age history.
Macey Sheridan won the age 14 girls 50 back with a time of 29.49, winning by a full second over Eloise McLellan (30.52), but still three-tenths off her entry/best time of 29.15. Still, Sheridan moves to No. 10 all-time for 14-year-old Aussie girls.
Pulling out a win here in Southport for the 17-year-old girls was 2023 World Junior champion Olivia Wunsch, taking over Milla Jansen on the second 50 to win 53.99 to 54.13. Wunsch’s time is her best effort thus far off her year-old personal bests, swimming just 0.28s off her 53.71 PB. Jansen was also narrowly 0.02s off her 54.11 personal best. Both Wunsch and Jansen respectively rank 3rd and 5th all-time in 17-year-old girls 100 free history.
MORE DAY SIX HIGHLIGHTS
- Flynn Southam won the age 18 boys 100 free at 48.94, the only swimmer in the field to break 50 seconds. His personal best rests at 47.77.
- 17-year-old Thomas Booth won both the 50 fly (24.84) and 100 back (56.88) for his age group today at Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.
- Adding a third win this week to her name was 17-year-old Taryn Roberts, winning her age’s 400 IM final in 4:51.79. Previously Roberts won the age 17 girls 200 IM and 1500 free.
- Sweeping the IM events for the 18-year-old boys was Karl Albertyn, winning his age’s 400 IM final at 4:22.80, a 4.74s personal improvement and additional title to his prior 200 IM win.
- After winning the 50/100 free and 100 fly, Lillie McPherson won her fourth age 15 title in the girls 200 free at 2:00.45.
- Also winning his fourth title in Southport was 16-year-old Lucas Fackerell, winning the boys 200 free at 1:51.32 to make it an age 16 sweep of the 200/400/800/1500 free events.
I’ve been fascinated with Sienna’s progression since she nearly took Liesl’s 1:08.30 14yo record only about 6 weeks ago with a 1:08.39. Now she’s aged up and has nearly a year to progress past that elusive 15yo record.
Let’s recap the meet for her. I list below the medals in firstly in her age group, and then if you combine all the ‘Junior’ girls’ times including 16yo’s and 17yo’s (in order of events):
200 IM: Gold, Gold
200 Breast: Silver, Bronze
50 Breast: Gold, Gold
100 Breast: Gold, Gold
As an indicator of her dominance, on Saturday morning the 17yo 50 Breast Gold was won in 32.80, then about 30 minutes later 15yo Sienna touched the… Read more »
Looks like we’re going to have options for LA.
Honestly if Kaylee keeps it up and our baby breastrokers keep going we likely have 3 great medley legs in LA. Just need to replace Emma’s fly leg.
Maybe OW is on a trajectory for that? Her current place in the age rankings suggests it’s possible.
She seems like the most likely and wasn’t in peak shape here so could have another drop at trials.
We might see her in action again in a few weeks at Sydney Open.
Toohey went 30.84 with 0.34 exchange
Em is puzzled as to why most teams swim a male in breaststroke. She really is clueless about swimming.
To be fair the American coaches couldn’t even get that right at the Olympics.
And they have been pilloried for it for 3 years.
Toohey vs Stoupas
More relays with no lineups.
Ok I’ve only followed this loosely so now it’s basically finished who wants to give me their 5 biggest takeaways / developments?
I assume Toohey and Wunsch will be 2 of them haha
Those two, Marcus Da Silva, Julia Remington going 4.48 in 400 IM at 16 and Lenny Grigor have stood out for me. I haven’t included Southam or Barclay because we already know what they can do at senior level and both are obviously prepping for trials.
Josh Conias standout performance in the 50 free is worth mentioning.
All Wunsch’s improvement came in the back half.
New – 27.73/30.89
Old – 27.62/31.72
Wunsch looked good